Fury 282 Custom Boat Review

Boat Review Date: June 2014
Author: Mike Brown

Overview

Those who thought fibreglass boat building in WA was dead and about to be buried will be surprised to learn the news from Fury Custom Boats. Not quite beating customers away with sticks, but busy enough to move to bigger premises.

The Custom part of the name is a major part of their success. Not a single boat the company has ever built has been identical to another; the latest delivery is even more substantially different. Within the thoroughly developed and proven 28 foot Fury hull, the interior features custom mouldings and an ingenious fit out.

The default description of this 282 is centre console, but it is like no other centre console I have come across. There are others of this ilk that house a toilet within the console; this one has a shower as well. And there is more: beneath the foredeck ahead of all this plumbing is a double bed. So this is the rarity: a cruisable centre console.

You usually go cruising with more than two people, and the 282 accepts and copes with this. The forward part of the foredeck converts to a second double bed, and a canopy unfurls and connects with the hardtop to give it protection. The large area hardtop that extends to almost the full beam has a track around its perimeter allowing screens to be deployed that convert more than two thirds of open deck into cabin.

Accommodation is important to this Fury’s owner, but no more than its fishing ability is. Key chunks of its future will be spent in the Abrolhos where both will come into play. He was firm that nothing should hamper access to every centimeter of its perimeter, so none of the seats Fury normally places aft could be allowed. Instead, a single seat was given three positions around the boat to be placed wherever the demand was.

Crayfish are practically a symbol of the Abrolhos, and this 282 is equipped for rehousing them with a pot tipper and pot winch. A winch that can be called into duty by deep water bottom fishermen.

At the rear of the two-three seat driving position is a custom moulded sink and bait board unit. This is a part of the whole seat structure that also contains an 80 litre fridge and large amounts of storage. Storage features strongly throughout the boat; clearly, Scott Fury was guided by his wife on this. Apart from the usual and obvious locations the entire length, both sides, is a rank of lockers; enough for each to be the sole centre for particular storage. Across the transom is more storage, another sink and the hot and cold shower

Up front is an almost infinitely variable area. Fierce fishing can take place here, as can the most civilized of gatherings. A central socket accepts a table’s pedestal, and Fury provides a pair of these to suit the occasion: a small one for drinks and snacks, a folding large one for probably as many as six for meals.

Electricity is increasingly important at sea and Fury recognizes this. As well as an inverter, a petrol powered genset is fitted in its own moulded compartment. Plenty of 240V and 12V sockets are distributed around the boat, and both fridge and hot water system can be powered by either voltage.

The driving position can comfortably seat two and is well protected: a full windscreen and complete wrap around clears can turn it into a wheelhouse. Among the goodies on the large dash are the possibly first Simrad Evo 2 NNS10 combos, plus controls for the bow thruster and autopilot. This boat is going to cover big distances and an autopilot will make this far more relaxed.

The dash also has Mercury’s new display screens: the same information but bigger screens with less chrome around them; much easier to read. The Mercury in question is a 300hp Verado, the owner’s choice; any make or power, single or twin can be specified. This choice gave us 38.5 knots flat out for an unstressed and economic 23 knots cruising.

This is probably the most complete fishing and cruising trailable package on the market.

Lowdown

Price from                  AUD $220,000

Price as reviewed    AUD $251,000

Length                       8.58m

Beam                          2.7m

Fuel capacity            420L

Fresh water               100L

Motors fitted              300hp Mercury Verado four-stroke